1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data carrier module to be incorporated into an IC card or the like and, more particularly, to a contact/noncontact type data carrier module capable of exchanging information with an external reader-writer in either a contact information transfer mode or a noncontact information transfer mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
IC cards have gradually become prevalently used owing to their capability of keeping information confidential. Recently, there have been proposed noncontact type IC cards capable of exchanging information with an external reader-writer in a noncontact information transfer mode.
Generally, the noncontact type IC card uses electromagnetic waves to achieve signal exchange with an external reader-writer or to achieve both signal exchange with an external reader-writer and power supply from an external reader-writer. The noncontact type IC card and the reader-writer are provided with built-in antennas, respectively, to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves. The noncontact type IC card converts the electromagnetic waves received from the reader-writer into operating power through electromagnetic induction and exchanges signals with the reader-writer by means of electromagnetic waves.
Since such a noncontact type IC card does not need any contacts to be brought into contact with those of the reader-writer, it prevents any chance of causing contact failure. In addition, such a noncontact type IC card is capable of interacting with the reader-writer at a position spaced a distance in the range of several centimeters to several tens centimeters, and is resistant to soiling, rain and static electricity. Thus, demand for such noncontact type IC cards is expected to increase further in the future.
Various sheet- or label-shaped noncontact IC tags formed by connecting an IC chip (semiconductor chip) storing data, to an antenna coil have been proposed in recent years. Noncontact IC tags have been attached to commercial articles and packages in recent years to prevent shoplifting and to improve physical distribution management systems.
Recently, a test coil-on-chip semiconductor chip module has been proposed. The coil-on-chip semiconductor chip module is an IC chip provided with an antenna and serving as a data carrier that stores data. Studies of a noncontact type IC card or IC tag employing the test coil-on-chip semiconductor chip module are in progress.
Usually, the noncontact type data carrier device, such as the noncontact type IC card or IC tag, is provided with a data carrier module, such as a coil-on-chip semiconductor chip including a booster antenna coil, i.e., a primary coil, for signal exchange with an external device, and a secondary coil electromagnetically coupled with the booster antenna coil. In this specification, the term xe2x80x9cdata carrier modulexe2x80x9d is used as a general designation of modules having a minute coil serving as a secondary coil and formed by connecting the minute coil to a data carrier, such as a semiconductor chip.
The booster antenna coil, i.e., the primary coil, and the secondary coil of the data carrier module are not connected and are located properly relative to each other. More specifically, a coil-building part is formed in the booster antenna coil (the primary coil) and the data carrier module is mounted on the noncontact type data carrier device so that the secondary coil is superposed on the coil-building part of the booster antenna coil (the primary coil). The coil-building part of the booster antenna coil (the primary coil) and the secondary coil of the data carrier module are formed in substantially the same shape to enhance the efficiency of electromagnetic coupling.
Terminal devices, such as portable telephones for the PHS (the personal handyphone system), wireless portable telephones, such as mobile telephones, and hand-held computers, have rapidly come into wide use in recent years and many persons carry such terminal devices. Various attempts have been made to add various additional values to portable telephones or the like.
For instance, JP-A 87655/1996 discloses an information processing system, in which, when an IC card bearer, i.e., a portable telephone possessor, purchases an article or demands for a pay service by inserting the IC card in a portable telephone, an article providing apparatus obtains information recorded on the IC card through the portable telephone and makes electrical settlement of transactions automatically by using the information read from the IC card. Generally, the IC card to be used by this information processing system is a contact type IC card, and the portable telephone is provided with a contact type reader-writer provided with electrical contacts.
Although noncontact type IC cards have been widely diffused, contact type IC cards provided with electrical contacts are used prevalently for practical purposes, because contact type IC cards are superior to noncontact type IC cards in security when IC cards are used as electronic settlement cards for electric commerce and identification cards which must be reliable in security. Generally, contact type IC cards operate stably because those cards are connected electrically to the reader-writer through the contacts.
The noncontact type IC card as mentioned above is formed by embedding a data carrier module (noncontact type IC module), such as a coil-on-chip semiconductor chip, in a card-shaped medium. Uses of such noncontact type IC mediums provided with a data carrier module are not limited to conventional uses, and such noncontact type IC mediums are expected to be used generally not only in specific fields, but also in various fields in which information transmission is necessary.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing circumstances and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a contact/noncontact type data carrier module applicable to a wide variety of purposes, and capable of satisfactorily meeting conditions on security.
According to the present invention, a contact/noncontact type data carrier module includes a base member; a semiconductor chip mounted on the base member; a coil connected to the semiconductor chip and adapted to be electromagnetically coupled with an external booster antenna for noncontact communication; and a contact terminal connected to the semiconductor chip and adapted to be brought into contact with an external contact.
In the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to a first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the semiconductor chip is disposed on a first major surface of the base member such that its terminal surface provided with terminals faces out; the contact terminal is formed on a second major surface on the opposite side of the first major surface of the base member; and the semiconductor chip and the contact terminal are connected through a contact terminal connecting hole formed in the base member by a contact terminal connecting part. Preferably, the contact terminal connecting part includes a bonding wire connecting a terminal of the semiconductor chip and the contact terminal. Preferably, the contact terminal connecting part includes a connecting wiring part formed on the first major surface of the base member, a bonding wire connecting a terminal of the semiconductor chip and the connecting wiring part, and a via part formed in the contact terminal connecting hole of the base member and connecting the connecting wiring part and the contact terminal.
In the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the coil is formed on the terminal surface of the semiconductor chip; and the coil and the semiconductor chip are connected by a coil connecting part. Preferably, the coil connecting part includes a bonding wire connecting a terminal of the semiconductor chip and a terminal of the coil.
In the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the coil is formed on the first major surface of the base member; and the semiconductor chip and the coil are connected by a coil connecting part. Preferably, the coil connecting part includes a bonding wire connecting a terminal of the semiconductor chip and a terminal of the coil. Preferably, the coil is disposed near the semiconductor chip on the first major surface of the base member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the semiconductor chip is disposed on a first major surface of the base member such that its terminal surface provided with terminals faces the base member; the contact terminal is formed on a second major surface on the opposite side of the first major surface of the base member; and the semiconductor chip and the contact terminal are connected through a contact terminal connecting hole formed in the base member by a contact terminal connecting part. Preferably, the contact terminal connecting part includes a connecting wiring part formed on the first major surface of the base member, and a via part formed in the contact terminal connecting hole and connecting the connecting wiring part and the contact terminal; and a terminal of the semiconductor chip is connected to the connecting wiring part by flip-chip solder bonding.
In the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the coil is formed on the terminal surface of the semiconductor chip; and the coil and the semiconductor chip are connected by a coil connecting part. Preferably, the coil is formed on an insulting layer covering a wiring layer formed on the terminal surface of the semiconductor chip; the wiring layer is connected to a terminal of the semiconductor chip; and the coil connecting part includes the wiring layer, and a via part formed in the insulating layer and connecting the wiring layer and the terminal of the coil.
In the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the coil is formed on the first major surface of the base member; and the semiconductor chip and the coil are connected by a coil connecting part through a pair of coil connecting holes formed in the base member. Preferably, the coil connecting part includes a connecting wiring part formed on the second major surface of the base member, a connecting terminal formed on the first major surface of the base member, and a pair of via parts respectively formed in the pair of coil connecting holes of the base member and respectively connecting one terminal of the coil and the connecting wiring part, and the connecting wiring part and the connecting terminal; and terminals of the semiconductor chip are connected to the connecting terminal, connected to one terminal of the coil, and the other terminal of the coil by flip-chip solder bonding.
According to the present invention, it is preferable that the contact/noncontact type data carrier module further includes a sealing resin layer sealing the semiconductor chip, the coil and the wiring part therein.
Preferably, the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the present invention is used as a SIM (scriber identity module) for use in combination with a booster card or a portable telephone.
Preferably, the semiconductor chip of the contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the present invention is provided with a user authentication circuit for authenticating the user, and a noncontact type communication circuit for downloading various pieces of information through the Internet by using a communication device adapted to be connected to the Internet.
The contact/noncontact type data carrier module according to the present invention is capable of communicating with an external device, provided with a booster antenna coil, or an external medium in a noncontact communication mode and is capable of exchanging signals by connecting the contact terminals with the contacts of an external device or an external medium. Thus, the contact/noncontact type data carrier module can be used for a wide variety of purposes, and is capable of satisfactorily meeting conditions on security.